Abstract [en]

The importance of logistics to companies is growing. A number of factors in business environment forces companies to keep up with changes to remain competitive. The constant changes that occur in the logistics area are characterized by a variety of contemporary trends. Companies with a major logistics are therefore forced to consider these trends, which in various ways puts a mark on the organizations where they choose to implement the related procedures and methods of trends.

This study examines how businesses are affected by logistical trends. This is done by describing how they view the developments in logistics and the trends that develop in the area, and to see how trends have left traces in the activities of businesses. Supply Chain Management plays a central role for the study, as it sets an example of a logistic trend, along with Lean Production and Just-In-Time.

The study was conducted by ten semi-structured interviews with companies who see logistics as important to their business, either from a cost perspective or from a competitive standpoint. The interviewed representative of the respective companies are either responsible for the businesses logistics or a logistics function.

The conclusions of the study are that the companies interviewed all come in contact with trends in logistics. The way a trend is brought into the organization is done primarily through the hiring of staff with practical or theoretical background from other activities, or to be inspired by other companies.

For it to be appropriate for companies to implement the elements of a trend such as Just-In-Time, Lean Production or Supply Chain Management, it is required that they generate corporate efficiency, mainly through financial savings.

Supply Chain Management has made an important impact in the study’s companies in the sense that there is a major focus on developing cooperation with its suppliers and that there is a desire to increase its customer focus and thus put the customer at the center of activity.